


this path is reckless

by themyscirawitch



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teachers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Recreational Drug Use, Shotgunning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:08:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23521315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themyscirawitch/pseuds/themyscirawitch
Summary: Eddie and Richie confiscate weed from a student on a field trip the night before their glee club's national championship. Richie blazes up and Eddie says yes to drugs.Alternative summary: And they were CO-WORKERS (oh my god, they were co-workers)
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 1
Kudos: 83





	this path is reckless

**Author's Note:**

> OKAY SO. I wrote this originally with the intention of it fitting into a greater universe so here is some context:  
> Richie and Eddie are both teachers at the same high school and they're the faculty advisers/co-directors of their school's glee club! (Richie is a music teacher and Eddie teaches English Literature and Drama, but that's not important to the plot here at all beyond "Why are they in charge of the glee club?") This fic is set during their field trip for their club's national championship, and any names that you don't recognize are just names of students who don't really matter here beyond moving the plot along. 
> 
> ALSO I wrote this based on my limited experience of shotgunning the devil's lettuce (I prefer edibles hehe) which I first did at a Halloween after-party while dressed like Eddie. So like. I apologize for any inaccuracies.
> 
> (Also the title comes from Taylor Swift's Treacherous so please listen to that and think of Reddie with me okay love you bye)

“C’mon, man, we kind of have to,” Richie insists, opening the window. “It’s not like a phone we can give back at the end of class.”

“We should probably flush it,” Eddie counters, crossing his arms across his chest. 

“And let Logan’s forty dollars go literally down the drain? Have a heart, Eds.”

“It’s not like he’s going to know.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Richie says as he sits cross-legged on his bed and pulls his dining tray into his lap. He spreads out the confiscated items in question and gets to work, moving with a practiced ease. 

“That -- that’s not what I meant, Rich,” Eddie is exasperated as he scrubs a hand across his face. 

“Eddie. It’s a Friday night in Manhattan,” Richie looks up from the joint he’s sealing. “The kids are in their rooms. We have the most emotionally turbulent day of the school year thus far ahead of us tomorrow. Let’s let loose a little bit while we have the time.” 

Eddie tenses and glances from the joint to Richie’s face to the alarm clock between their beds. Richie sets the tray aside and shrugs. 

“Hey, look,” Richie says, gentler than before. “I’m not gonna, like, make you do this with me, but in my experience, it’s more fun with a friend.” 

He watches Richie with careful consideration as the other man fumbles around in the pockets of his brown leather jacket. Richie finally finds his lighter with a triumphant little “hah!” and he lights up, taking a drag. Eddie’s face twists up into a small smile like he can’t help it. Richie beams right back as smoke billows from between his lips. He holds out the joint towards Eddie, eyebrows raised. 

“I -- Can I tell you something?” Eddie asks, tugging on the sleeve of his pullover sweatshirt. Richie nods sagely, always content to listen to Eddie. “I’ve… I’ve never smoked before.” 

Richie’s eyebrows shoot up impossibly higher in the confusion. 

“But,” Eddie adds quickly. “I… am not totally opposed to the idea. Only if you promise not to laugh at me.”

Exhilarated by the thrill of this new knowledge, Richie rolls to his knees and slides off his bed. He climbs onto Eddie’s bed, landing maybe a little too close as he twists to face him directly. Eddie’s eyes are wide and curious, his eyebrows raised in caution. 

“Eddie, I promise that I will never laugh at you for trying something new,” Richie assures him. “Here, let me show you something — it’ll be a little easier on you since this is your first time.”

Richie holds the joint in his left hand and holds up his right hand in the other. He lowers his index finger to his thumb in a tight circle, like the sign for “ok” with a tiny “o.” Eddie repeats the gesture with his own right hand. Richie smiles and brings their hands close together, slotting the last of their fingers together like the alternating keys on a piano. 

“I call this the tunnel of love,” Richie says with a laugh. “I’m gonna blow smoke into our hands, and you’re gonna inhale, okay?”

Eddie’s smile falters but he nods with a determination that Richie was very familiar with. It meant that Eddie wasn’t sure, but he was damned if he wasn’t going to give it his best try. Richie admires that about him.

Richie leans forward, raising his hand to be level with his mouth. Eddie’s hand follows suit. “Ready?” Richie asks, raising the joint to his lips. 

“Yeah,” Eddie says breathlessly.

Richie takes a deep hit and holds it, then presses his lips to their intertwined hands and exhales through their fingers. Smoke floats into Eddie’s mouth and he inhales as best as he can— Richie is already suspicious that Eddie hates the taste. He coughs while Richie takes another straight puff and their linked hands drop to the space between their laps. 

“How was that?” Richie asks earnestly.

“It was fine,” Eddie replies around another cough. “I-I don’t think I got much, actually.” 

“You wanna try again?” 

“Is that okay?”

Richie smiles softly and raises their hands again. 

“Try and hold your breath a little longer this time.”

They try again and Eddie coughs a little harder this time, and Richie is certain that this round was more successful. He’s feeling his own high settling in softly around the edges of his senses, tension in his limbs lifting away. Richie takes another hit for himself and turns his head up to the ceiling, closing his eyes and sending the smoke up like a geyser. When he opens his eyes and turns back to look at Eddie, he’s suddenly not convinced they’re both having fun. Eddie is frowning when Richie meets his gaze.

“Eds?” Richie asks gently, a cautious hand on Eddie’s forearm. Eddie leans into the touch.

“I don’t think I feel anything,” Eddie admits. Richie thinks he can see the wheels turning in Eddie’s mind, filling him with doubt. Like it’s not working because something must be wrong with Eddie. Now it’s Richie’s turn to frown. Eddie’s definitely not ready to try a direct hit just yet, but Richie wants Eddie to enjoy himself. He considers their other options and schools his frown away.

“There’s a more, uh, direct approach for shotgunning,” Richie offers a little reluctantly. “I’m not sure you’d be down for it, though.” 

“Try me,” Eddie counters.

Richie doesn’t reply. Instead he sits up on his knees and leans even closer into Eddie’s personal space. With his free hand he tips Eddie’s jaw ever-the-slightest to open his mouth. Eddie seems a little surprised and confused, but he doesn’t retreat or push Richie away. Richie doesn’t take his eyes off Eddie’s as he takes a drag of the joint, but his eyes tip down to Eddie’s lips as he holds the smoke. 

Then Richie leans in again.

It’s not a kiss, but it’s awfully close. 

Richie’s lips are just a breath away from Eddie’s as he puffs the smoke into Eddie’s mouth. Eddie inhales, eyes wide with something that Richie doesn’t think he knows the name of yet. Richie withdraws his face enough for Eddie to exhale and cough it out. 

He wonders to himself if he made a mistake as he tries to read Eddie’s expression. Maybe this was a bad idea after all — neither of them really knew how Eddie was going to react to the weed. Maybe Eddie was on the verge of panic and oh geeze it was Richie’s fault, wasn’t it. Maybe Eddie was having an allergic reaction. Maybe Richie had crossed a line. Maybe maybe maybe —- 

“Do that again,” Eddie says softly, so quiet that Richie almost doesn’t hear him. “Please.”

And who is Richie Tozier to say “no” to Eddie Kaspbrak.

Richie takes another hit and falls back into place, not-kissing Eddie’s lips. Eddie lets his eyes fall closed this time, and Richie thinks to himself as he exhales that he could kiss him now. Eddie inhales and Richie holds his breath too. Eddie leans back against the headboard and tilts his head up as he lets the smoke go. Richie watches the muscles in Eddie’s throat move and Eddie’s smile is brilliant when he turns to look at Richie again. Eddie lets out a soft, giddy laugh, and Richie tells himself that the burning in his chest is from the drugs. 

God, how he wants to believe it.

**Author's Note:**

> (Sorry they didn't kiss and aren't together yet, hope you like longing.) 
> 
> Comments & feedback encouraged, and if you want, you can follow me on twitter @roachietoaster!


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